Happy 4th Of July

Cheers!

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Hello to all of our McCarty Metro readers. A happy 4th of July to our readers as well. I hope you all have a restful, fun, and safe holiday. As a bonus this issue, I have included some fireworks for you to shoot off.

I hope you like the new format of the Metro this month. I have been working on various looks and taking in your feedback. Many people commented that the like the larger pictures. This new look allows for that.

The 17th annual Dan McCarty Golf Classic held on June 2nd was a great success. Many thanks to all who helped. A special thanks as always to Steve & Kristen for all their hard work this and every year. It was great to see the bros that made the trip in from out-of-town. Jerry (California), Larry (Tennessee), and Mike (Grand Rapids) all made the long trek in to support the cause.

Also, the 17th annual Karaoke Night (preceding the DMGC) at McClenaghans Pub was a fun night. Many old friends showed up as Jerry advertised it on his Facebook page. It was a great night, and, by golly, we even hit a couple of the notes.... Not too shabby...

All in all, it was a great weekend, and we made some great memories. Tons of stories about DJ floated around the golf course. Some people say that life is short. For DJ, it was even shorter,  but one thing is for certain, Danny did leave a lifetime of precious memories to the brothers and friends who knew him. As I get older and wiser, I know I will probably never understand what God has planned for me, let alone why DJ left this life so soon, but what I did learn from Dan is to be the best husband, son, dad, friend, and person I can be, and to help make as many precious memories for those that I love, and that love me.

This month's final thought is from Bob Perks and is about making memories.

She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been six years old, this beautiful brown-haired, freckle-faced image of innocence. It was pouring outside. The kind of rain that gushes over the tops of rain gutters, so much in a hurry to hit the Earth it had no time to flow down the spout. Drains in the nearby parking lot were filled to capacity and some were blocked so that huge puddles laced around parked cars. We all stood there under the awning and just inside the door of the Wal-Mart. We waited, some patiently, others irritated... because nature messed up their hurried day. 

I am always mesmerized by rainfall. I get lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world. Memories of running, splashing so carefree as a child come pouring in as a welcome reprieve from the worries of my day. Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance we were all caught in. 

"Mom, let's run through the rain," she said. "What?" Mom asked. "Let's run through the rain!" she repeated. "No, honey. We'll wait until it slows down a bit," Mom replied. This young child waited about another minute and repeated, "Mom, let's run through the rain." "We'll get soaked if we do," Mom said. "No, we won't, Mom. That's not what you said this morning," the young girl said as she tugged at her mom's arm. "This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?" "Don't you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, 'If God can get us through this, He can get us through anything!"

The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I swear you couldn't hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes. Her mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say. Now, some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child's life. A time when innocent trust can be nurtured so that it will bloom into faith. 

"Honey, you are absolutely right. Let's run through the rain. If God let's us get wet, well, maybe we just needed washing," Then off they ran. We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they darted past the cars and, yes, through the puddles. They held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. I want to believe that somewhere down the road in life, Mom will find herself reflecting back on moments they spent together, captured like pictures in the scrapbook of her cherished memories. Maybe when she watches proudly as her daughter graduates, or as her daddy walks her down the aisle on her wedding day. She will laugh again. Her heart will beat a little faster. Her smile will tell the world they love each other. But only they . . . will share that precious moment, when they ran through the rain believing that God would get them through.

And, yes, I did! 
I ran!
I got wet! 
I needed washing! 

Circumstances or people can take away your material possessions, they can take away your money, they can take away your health, but no one can ever take away your memories. So don't forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories every day!